McCoy named NFC Offensive Player of the Month

After scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) celebrates with Riley Cooper (14) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

“I’m proud of Shady,” quarterback Nick Foles, who won the award for November said Thursday. “He’s a tremendous running back. I think it’s a testament to our O-line for doing a great job of opening up the holes for him. Those guys don’t get near enough credit for what they’ve done throughout this year. It’s a great group. … And the receivers have done a really good job of blocking downfield.”

McCoy declined to comment. Earlier in the week he felt he needed to validate the rushing numbers in the playoffs.

In addition to the offensive linemen, among the unsung heroes is wide receiver Jason Avant, a crushing blocker.

“You can be a receiver or you can be a football player,” Avant said. “It’s a mentality. It’s the way you’ve been raised. A receiver catches and does certain things. But when you’re a football player and you’re asked to cover a kick you do it. If you’re asked to cut off a defensive lineman, you’ll do it. When you have more football players the better off you are. And we have a lot. We have a lot of guys who are interchangeable. That’s the way Coach Kelly likes it. He likes a lot of Swiss Army Knife-type people.”

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Eagles safety Earl Wolff worked out Thursday and is hopeful he can return to action Saturday night when the Eagles host the Saints in the first round of the playoffs.

“They told me you’re not going to practice Tuesday or Wednesday but Thursday we’re going to see what you can do,” Wolff said after practice. “Basically it was their call and I did what they wanted me to do. No setback. Now obviously I feel like it all depends on how I feel tomorrow. If I’m sore, if I’m real sore and if I’m not. But how I feel now, I feel pretty good, and I feel like I can go.”

Guard Julian Vandervelde (back) was the only Eagle unable to participate in the light practice.

Though Wolff has been scratched five of the last six weeks, including the Dallas game, he doesn’t think he’ll be too rusty to contribute against a Saints offense powered by Pro Bowl quarterback Drew Brees.

“It’s not really a concern for me,” Wolff said. “I practiced all last week. Didn’t do too much this week but did something and felt pretty good about where I was today. And I’m going to go in there with all the confidence in the world on Saturday if I do.

“I’ll probably warm up a little in the locker room before the game and they’ll probably put me through some stuff Saturday.”

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With sub-20 degree temperatures forecast for the opening kickoff, Foles and Brees are going to have a rough time gripping the ball.

“When the ball’s in your hand you’ve got to make a play,” Foles said. “Whether it’s putting a little extra on the ball or really stretching or flicking my wrist and doing things like that, I’m going to do that. But it’s still football. Everybody’s got to play in these conditions. You’re still playing football.”

Foles prefers a hand warmer.

For Brees, among the subtle yet symbolic decisions he makes to play in the cold is whether or not to wear sleeves.

“There’s really not a whole lot that goes into it other than you’re just trying to keep your hands warm and get a good grip on the ball,” Brees said. “That’s pretty much what it comes down to.”

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NOTES: Bill Vinovich is the referee Sunday. Vinovich and his crew came under attack when he overruled a fumble recovered by the Colts. Head coach Chuck Pagano said the NFL told them he shouldn’t have done so. There were a couple other questionable calls as well but the Colts rallied to beat the Texans … Wolff, the rookie out of NC State, has been asking teammates what the playoffs are like. “A couple of the veterans told me ‘Earl, it’s like an even bigger bowl game in college, the game is even faster,’” Wolff said. “It’s some guys last game they may ever play, you never know. So it’s going to be fast and it’s going to be exciting. The atmosphere is going to be so different from the regular season you’re going to tell as soon as you run out of the tunnel.” … You can be part of the www.Delcotimes.com Eagles chat starting Friday at 3 p.m. with @JackMcCaffery and @BobGrotz.

Follow Bob Grotz on Twitter @BobGrotz.

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